Your second guess is closest to scientific theory.
Some geologists believe that more than two bil
lion years ago a giant meteorite created the near
perfect arc, but there is no conclusive evidence.
SINAI
In the April GEOGRAPHIC I was delighted to see
the photographs of St. Catherine's Monastery as
well as the text about Bishop Irineos. The story
and accompanying pictures were a sensitive
treatment of Sinai, in keeping with the maga
zine's tradition of excellence.
Chris Turkel
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
of North and South America
New York City
The report "Eternal Sinai" has a clearly biased
political orientation. Two million Arab Ameri
cans would probably agree with me.
Sylvie Bellmare
Montreal, Quebec
AMERASIAN CHILDREN
I have just read your editorial in the February
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC concerning Amerasian
children. I am deeply touched by this problem. Is
there a group working on helping these children?
Dorothy Hirschland
New Paltz, New York
Two groups that are specifically involved with
helping Amerasian children are: Pearl S. Buck
Foundation, Inc., Box 181, Green Hills Farm,
Perkasie, Pennsylvania 18944, and the United
States CatholicConference, Migrationand Refu
gee Services, 1312 Massachusetts Avenue N.W.,
Washington, D. C. 20005.
PALAU LAKES
In the article on the Palau salt lakes (February
1982), the author wondered at the almost pro
grammed behavior of the jellyfish Mastigiasthat
swim first to the west, then to the east, at the
same times each day. This behavior is not un
common. Along the shores of Long Island at 6
a.m. a continuous stream of pods bearing thou
sands of Homo stupidus heads west to the near
shore of the Hudson River. Precisely at 4 p.m.
the stream reverses direction! The H. stupidus
repeats this behavior daily throughout his pro
ductive years.
Edwin Rudetsky
Brooklyn, New York
Letters should be addressedto Members Forum,
National Geographic Magazine, Box 37448,
Washington, D. C. 20013, and should include
sender's address and telephone number. Not all
letters can be used. Those that are will often be
edited and excerpted.
National Geographic,July 1982